Comments for Robb Leechhttp://www.robbleech.com
Documentary FilmmakerMon, 02 Mar 2015 19:24:23 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1Comment on My Brother the Terrorist by Traciehttp://www.robbleech.com/?p=665#comment-15493
Mon, 02 Mar 2015 19:24:23 +0000http://www.robbleech.com/?p=665#comment-15493Dear Robb
I am a stay at home mother in small town American. I have just watched both of your films today. My heart ached as is watched to see the depth and continous of anger in the eyes of the extremists you filmed. This was the one thing that stuck out in the film to me.their eyes were filled with the same distant saddness and anger. Their humaness was gone and all that was left was an anger.I so appreciate your work.I know it was hard on you but thank you for sharing this part of your life with me. It is so sad to see so many men feel that they do not have community and are driven to believing in one way. This life she have has so much good but they want to focus soon the evil and splitting up humanity.
]]>Comment on My Brother the Terrorist by Amanda Watershttp://www.robbleech.com/?p=665#comment-15160
Thu, 23 Oct 2014 21:12:10 +0000http://www.robbleech.com/?p=665#comment-15160Dear Mr. Leech, I have just spent the last hour watching your documentary “My Brother the Terrorist.” I was really touched by it – cheesy as that sounds – and it really made me think about the interaction of western societies with Islam. I agreed with your views, and above all I just wanted to thank you for creating something that was so personal and so important; over the span of a mere hour I feel as though I have learnt so much. I wish you all the best.
~AW
]]>Comment on Woolwich attack: Why are young British men like my brother drawn to Islamic extremism? by Sarah Joosabhttp://www.robbleech.com/?p=602#comment-15086
Sun, 05 Oct 2014 23:28:39 +0000http://www.robbleech.com/?post_type=portfolio&p=602#comment-15086I really enjoyed the documentary which I watched on bbc just now….however I do feel the root causes of muslims being “radicalised” is the years of unjust foerign policy meted out against muslims and muslim countries…the muslims are watching their brothers and sisters being slaughtered on there tv screens qnd even I was in tears and outraged when I watched how the palestinians were being slaughtered….these so called “radicals” believe the fighting for a just cause and feel so strongly about the atrocities committed against muslims all over the world….that they are willing to even sacrifice gheir lives for what they believe in…
]]>Comment on Woolwich attack: Why are young British men like my brother drawn to Islamic extremism? by Sarah Joosabhttp://www.robbleech.com/?p=602#comment-15085
Sun, 05 Oct 2014 23:19:08 +0000http://www.robbleech.com/?post_type=portfolio&p=602#comment-15085I enjoyed the documentary.
]]>Comment on My Brother the Terrorist by Mahmoud Alibadihttp://www.robbleech.com/?p=665#comment-14987
Mon, 01 Sep 2014 13:25:08 +0000http://www.robbleech.com/?p=665#comment-14987Dear Robb,

I saw your interesting and important film “My Brother the Terrorist”.

You’re looking for an answer to your question, if so extremism came to man? Should these creatures as Anjem allowed to represent Islam in London or the rest of the world? Who is behind these religious projects? What can we do to help these young people to not fall into the trap and thus we can create a peaceful society?

I think the answer to these questions finds both in our past history and our present. History tells us that there is always a connection between religion and the economy as power. This means that the economy plays a big role in this development we are seeing in this conflict.

The extreme religiosity of Islam is not about faith, as many people think, at least not for many of those who are pretending to be imams like Anjems types. So theirs motivations arising out of economic interest and not on the basis of faith. These so called imams get paid for their recruitment of young people especially in the West, but also in the Muslim societies around the world. These people have no real knowledge of or about Islam or other religions, but they have abilities to manipulate and brainwash the weak and identity-less young people who need some alternative life plans. There are many partners and interests in this conflict, but the source of all is the same; Wahhabism, the strict conservative movement who want a modern Islamic society must return back to the time before Islam where violence is allowed against other people who have a different faith or just different perception of life.

So we need to be inspired and find solutions in Western history where the separation of religion (The Church) and politics (The State) was a solution to many of the major issues and thus can reduce ignorance, which is the biggest threat against humanism and development of human beings.

I understand Tommy Robinson’s attitude to the moderate Muslims do nothing about the situation, but I think that most of them are dissatisfied and also trying to do something, but not enough maybe. This is partly because many of the Muslims in the West fled from the war and the harsh conditions in their countries. They do not have enough powers to unite themselves. Another thing is the fear of violence by radical Muslims. This experience I have had here in Denmark where I live. I had many problems when I made some years ago an artwork, which discuss homosexuality in Islam. I had to attenuate my activity as an artist for a while.

I have tried to gather some of the moderate Muslims in a small association against the Islamists and terrorist groups, but unfortunately there was no support for the idea because they are afraid.

My question is this: If it is true that all kings, princes, sheikhs, presidents, prime ministers and other rulers of the world, and even terrorists in the world together fighting terrorism as being claimed, how is it possible that these groups apparently established and developed powerful?

All my respect for your work and my sympathies over your situation with your stepbrother. Sorry if you find many language errors, it’s because I’m not so good in English without using google.

Best regards,
mahmoud Alibadi

]]>Comment on My Brother the Terrorist by J Kellyhttp://www.robbleech.com/?p=665#comment-14977
Wed, 27 Aug 2014 12:04:22 +0000http://www.robbleech.com/?p=665#comment-14977Thank you for your desperately needed contribution. Understanding and exploring this subject is vital to MANY in today’s turbulent and uncertain times. I know you love your brother, he was a brother to all of us as well, as we, too, grieve a loss here. There is a vacuum for our young people in their searching for themselves, the vulnerability you mentioned. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, families all, can only plant the seeds of their love and hope they remain for that one day when they finally become reborn in the heart of our loved one swept away. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, and for all of us who now or in the future will face this heartbreaking issue. Thank you again for your documentary and for sharing it with so many of us who need to learn, too. Thank you.
]]>Comment on Film-maker Robb Leech recounts how his brother became an Islamist by Isahttp://www.robbleech.com/?p=598#comment-836
Fri, 16 Aug 2013 09:08:33 +0000http://www.robbleech.com/?post_type=portfolio&p=598#comment-836This story has touched me deeply, Robb. I only saw the documentary recently, but it struck a powerful chord with me. I had converted to Islam when I was 19 years old, and had become somewhat of a fundamentalist for a short time. While I had no plans to “fight the grand Jihad” or to condemn non-Muslims to eternal hellfire, I quickly began to notice that my interpretations of Islam were not making me happy. In fact, they were making me feel miserable. I would quote random hadith to justify my beliefs, or take snippets of the Qur’an out of context to rationalize an intolerant belief I had. Fortunately, I had some Sufi and “moderate” Muslim friends to help me find another door to walk through. I’m still a Muslim, but my views have radically changed since those days. Shhh, don’t tell anyone, but I will even have an occasional beer every now and again. I think it goes without saying that Chaudary does not represent the mass of British Muslims. His influence is dangerous, but marginal.

I feel that part of the problem is that Islamist converts are ignorant about the vast history of Islam, and because they want to be perfect Muslims, they end up convincing themselves that Islam is intolerant because that is what their teachers tell them. In the “Golden Age”, Muslim scholars would begin studying the Sharia when they were young children, and wouldn’t receive a certificate from their teacher stating that they were authorized to teach on these matters until they were young adults. So I wouldn’t call it brainwashing, because I feel it is mostly the converts doing their own rationalizing and convincing of themselves that this is what Islam teaches, even if they feel that it is wrong. You mentioned something about your brother locking himself in a fortress of his own making. That’s what I mean. That’s what I was in the process of doing during my “fundamentalist” phase. Fortunately, it did not last very long, and my views were not as extreme as these followers of Anjem Chaudary.

There were also other parts of the documentary where you had successfully filmed your brother when he didn’t know he was being filmed, and I could see it in his eyes that he was thinking real deep about something. It looked like a struggle between Rich and Salahuddin. Unfortunately, it looks like Salahuddin won, and I am sorry for that and how that has affected you and your family. I don’t think the name change to Salahuddin was an accident. Salahuddin al-Ayoubi was a Muslim warrior during the Crusades, who defeated King Richard the Lion Heart during the struggle for Jerusalem. Jerusalem means the “City of Peace” in Hebrew and Arabic, and Anjem Chaudary’s organization was called “Muslims Against The Crusades” at that time.

That doesn’t mean people can’t change, though. And hopefully in prison, Richard/Salahuddin will regain control of the “City of Peace” of his heart by allowing both aspects to exist harmoniously with each other, ask forgiveness for what he attempted to do, and try to make amends. Thank you for sharing your story, as I am sure it was very difficult to share with the world. May God Bless You, Your Family, and Your Friends, Always.